Thursday, March 31, 2011

On this date, four years ago, I did something big; something of significance. No, I didn't get butt-cheek implants, giving my derrière a more supple fullness that could make a pair of Wal-Mart slacks look like they were purchased from Target.

Unfortunately, this date has nothing to do with me starting to take Rogaine. That ship has sailed. And now, well, let's just say I'm saving a fortune on barber shop expenses.

Even this blog- on March 31, 2007- was nearly two years prior to its genesis. Some say the internet was better back then.

What did happen? Well, I married this young lady:

The wedding- a raucous affair, complete with a grab bag of hijinks, tomfoolery, brouhaha, and no shortage of monkeyshines- preceded a somewhat unpleasant cross-country flight, but an exceedingly incredible vacation... perhaps the tipping point for me.

We went to Napa Valley for our honeymoon. Before this trip, I'd drank plenty of wine. I knew it was something that should be consumed with food. Obviously, there existed a flame of interest in my spirit; otherwise, we would've been sitting on a beach somewhere, turning pink while downing umbrella drinks.

But wine country- the natural beauty and the endless vines- it sparked something: an "itch", so often described by those who visit. And of course, there was the product itself. Never had I realized that wines could be so good. I'd been missing out, and akin to the vows taken just a couple days earlier, a new chapter in my life had begun.

The wine had become my muse. But a secondary one, as not even the finest glass of juice could come close to the tireless support, encouragement, and inspiration my wife has provided. Writing a wine blog- relentlessly, whether folks read or not- requires a certain strength from the other half. There are the late nights writing. The occasional "over tasting", resulting in both laziness and snoring. Not to mention the expense. This is, more than anything else, a labor of love.

So I raise a glass of 2007 Duckhorn Merlot to my lovely Heather. This bottle not only bears the vintage of our union, but its producer was also the first place we visited in Napa. So similar to what rests in my glass, the past four years have been unique, complex, occasionally sour, even more rarely bitter, yet- far more often- totally satisfying, and utterly intoxicating. Whether I'm talking glasses of wine or years of marriage, here's to four more...

...

Okay, that "here's to four more" was a joke. I thought this one was getting a little mushy.

On this date, four years ago, I did something big; something of significance. No, I didn't get butt-cheek implants, giving my derrière a more supple fullness that could make a pair of Wal-Mart slacks look like they were purchased from Target.

Unfortunately, this date has nothing to do with me starting to take Rogaine. That ship has sailed. And now, well, let's just say I'm saving a fortune on barber shop expenses.

Even this blog- on March 31, 2007- was nearly two years prior to its genesis. Some say the internet was better back then.

What did happen? Well, I married this young lady:

The wedding- a raucous affair, complete with a grab bag of hijinks, tomfoolery, brouhaha, and no shortage of monkeyshines- preceded a somewhat unpleasant cross-country flight, but an exceedingly incredible vacation... perhaps the tipping point for me.

We went to Napa Valley for our honeymoon. Before this trip, I'd drank plenty of wine. I knew it was something that should be consumed with food. Obviously, there existed a flame of interest in my spirit; otherwise, we would've been sitting on a beach somewhere, turning pink while downing umbrella drinks.

But wine country- the natural beauty and the endless vines- it sparked something: an "itch", so often described by those who visit. And of course, there was the product itself. Never had I realized that wines could be so good. I'd been missing out, and akin to the vows taken just a couple days earlier, a new chapter in my life had begun.

The wine had become my muse. But a secondary one, as not even the finest glass of juice could come close to the tireless support, encouragement, and inspiration my wife has provided. Writing a wine blog- relentlessly, whether folks read or not- requires a certain strength from the other half. There are the late nights writing. The occasional "over tasting", resulting in both laziness and snoring. Not to mention the expense. This is, more than anything else, a labor of love.

So I raise a glass of 2007 Duckhorn Merlot to my lovely Heather. This bottle not only bears the vintage of our union, but its producer was also the first place we visited in Napa. So similar to what rests in my glass, the past four years have been unique, complex, occasionally sour, even more rarely bitter, yet- far more often- totally satisfying, and utterly intoxicating. Whether I'm talking glasses of wine or years of marriage, here's to four more...

...

Okay, that "here's to four more" was a joke. I thought this one was getting a little mushy.